Pieces
by Dirty Robber
Summary: Continuation from the last scene of The Woman In Limbo.
1. Chapter 1

**Pieces—Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: Let's see…checks bank account…nope, I still don't own these characters or anything associated with the show BONES.**

**Summary: This fic starts at the last scene of "The Woman In Limbo". **

_Do you feel like a puzzle/ __You can't find your missing piece?—"Talk", Coldplay_

_Temperance, you've got to stop looking. This is bigger than you know. I'm asking you to stop, please._

Brennan's eyes were wide with shock as she turned to face her brother and her partner. Booth studied Brennan's face and then Russ', observing the shock and despair mirrored in both siblings' expressions.

He lowered his bottle of beer that had been at his lips before Brennan had hit the playback button on her answering machine. "Who was that?" he questioned, although he already knew the answer in his gut. He looked over at Brennan and thought of everything she had been through in the last few days—identifying her mother's remains; hearing from her partner that her parents were not who she thought they were; her personal identity crisis; and reuniting with her long lost brother. A weaker person would have crawled into their bed, pulled the sheet over their heads and waited for the nightmare to pass. Booth watched her expression change from shock to simply emotionless.

Brennan's eyes were clear—no trace of tears or despair to be found—as she answered Booth's question. "That was my father."

The three of them stood in silence for a long moment.

"Dad's….alive?" Russ' soft voice finally broke the silence. "Fifteen years…all this time, he's been alive? Tempe?"

Brennan simply nodded, still digesting the new information herself. It was yet another illogical piece of the puzzle that 'Matt' and 'Christine Brennan' had left behind as the legacy for their children.

Placing his beer on the desk next to Brennan's manuscript, Booth walked toward his friend, concern etched on his handsome features.

"Bones?"

The logical part of Brennan's brain kicked in at that moment. "Booth, is it possible to find out where he made the call from?"

Booth stood in front of her and stared deep into her eyes. He noticed that a small hint of her despair that he had seen at McVicar's farm was present again. He fought the urge to take her in his arms again and tell her that it would be okay—that **she** would be okay.

Booth nodded. "I can get one of our best guys at the Bureau on it…but not until Monday."

"Wait, Tempe, Dad asked you to stop." Russ stepped toward his little sister. "Maybe you need to stop."

"What?" Confusion creased Brennan's forehead as she turned toward her brother. "Why? Why should I stop Russ? We found Mom and the person who killed her…"

"And maybe that should be enough!" Anger and fear flashed through Russ' dark eyes as he shouted his opinion. Rubbing a hand across his face, Russ took a deep breath before continuing. "Tempe, please, Mom is dead…we have a lot of information that we didn't have before. If Dad is telling you to stop looking, then just stop."

"I can't." Brennan's defiant blue eyes met Russ' sad, desperate gaze. "What are you scared of Russ? The truth? How much worse can it possibly get?"

Booth watched the exchange between brother and sister, silently understanding the position of both. But he knew that for Brennan, half of the story of what happened to her parents would not be enough—not now, not ever.

"Russ, is there something you're not telling us?" Booth asked, echoing Brennan's earlier sentiments at the FBI garage. "You seem more than perturbed at hearing your father's voice on Bones' answering machine…you seem terrified."

Russ took a swig of his beer and rubbed his face again. He turned away from Booth and his sister and walked into the living room, looking out the large windows at the view.

'_Russ Brennan, your name is Russ Brennan. Repeat it! Russ Brennan, Russ Brennan'_

"The tone of his voice. Tempe, you never heard that tone before….until now." Russ sighed heavily. "That's the same tone he had the day that we moved from Iowa, after he saw that man. The same tone that told me my name was now Russ and that forgetting my name would get you and Mom killed."

Fighting back tears, he turned to face his sister. "Please Tempe…I just got you back…I just got my little sister back. I couldn't handle it if I lost you again."

"Russ…" Brennan couldn't find the words to comfort her brother. The last time she had witnessed Russ in emotional pain and desperation, he had walked away from her. Now, he was standing in her home, begging her to stop searching for answers about their parents so that they would not be lost to each other again.

"Look, Russ, I'm not going to let anything happen to your sister. But she's right—you both need to know the truth…the whole truth." Booth studied the man in front of him, hoping that he understood. Russ glanced over at his sister and turned back to the window, wiping his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

Glancing down at his watch, Booth realized the late hour and knew that Brennan had not rested for several days. "It's late. You two need time by yourselves to catch up. And you," he looked pointedly at Brennan, "need to get some rest. That's an order." He flashed a small smile at her and wasn't surprised when the action was not reciprocated. The last few days had been tough for everyone, especially her.

He turned to walk toward the door with Brennan following closely behind him. "Booth?"

Turning toward her, he flashed her another small smile. "Yeah Bones?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything…I…just everything." She stumbled over words that probably would have come easily for most people.

Brennan looked up at her partner, the man who had virtually been her lifeline of the past few days, and smiled sadly. Booth again felt the urge to embrace her and this time, he didn't fight it. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her slight frame close. He felt Brennan relax against his chest and felt her warm breath on the side of his neck where she had nuzzled her face.

"I'm glad you're my partner," she said quietly. Pride swelled in Booth's chest at her statement, much as it had when he had read the dedication of her manuscript to him.

"Ditto, Bones. And I promise you, we will figure this out," he stated in a firm but gentle tone. "You and me, we always figure it out, right?"

He felt her nod against his shoulder and he smiled. Brennan reluctantly stepped away from the embrace. "You've got Parker tomorrow. You need to get some rest too."

Booth nodded and opened the door. "Bones, if you need me, don't hesitate to call me, okay? I mean it."

Brennan leaned against the door, staring at him. "I know…Goodnight Booth."

"Night Bones."

Russ had stood silently in the living room, watching the exchange. He had observed Special Agent Seeley Booth over the last few days—observed how protective he was of Tempe and how much he cared for her. At that moment in his little sister's apartment, as he watched Booth embrace Temperance, Russ knew that the agent was more than a friend and a partner—he knew that Booth was in love with Temperance. And judging by the way Temperance looked at Booth, Russ was relatively sure that she felt the same way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pieces—Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: Once again, I still do not own the characters or anything associated with BONES.**

**Author's notes: Thanks to all of you who have read and special thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

The cool night air tickled Booth's exposed skin as he stepped out of Brennan's apartment building and collided with a woman's body. Quick thinking and even quicker reflexes allowed him to catch the woman and steady her before she toppled over.

"Angela? What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"I came to see how Brennan was doing," she replied, concern for her best friend evident on her pretty face.

"She'll be okay, Angela. She…and Russ…both of them need to rest. Come on, I'll walk you to your car." Booth offered her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion, attempting to deter her from interrupting Brennan's time with Russ.

"What? Russ?" Angela's dark eyes grew wide. "Russ came back and is staying here with her?"

Noticing that Angela was not accepting his arm, Booth placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her away from the entrance to the building.

"Believe it or not, Bones and I drove down to North Carolina, she talked to Russ and **she** invited him back here for a few days," he stated proudly.

The truth was Booth was proud of Brennan for finally allowing her brother back into her life. He knew that seeing Russ again had been difficult since it brought back so many emotions—emotions that Bones did not like to deal with. When he had brought Russ into the lab, Booth could have sworn that he saw Brennan mentally rehashing the last contact she'd had with Russ….with Russ walking away from her and out of her life.

Angela allowed Booth to guide her slowly down the stairs. "How did you talk her into it?"

Booth smiled. "I didn't. Bones made the decision on her own and," he whistled slightly as he pointed his finger at the street across from them, "pointed my SUV in that direction and drove."

Angela smiled slightly. "You let Brennan drive?"

Booth nodded, laughing softly. He noticed that Angela had become somber once again as she sat down on the bottom step of the apartment building. "I guess…I guess things didn't go well as McVicar's farm, huh?"

Taking a seat beside the dark haired artist, Booth gave her a quizzical look. "Why would you guess that?"

Inhaling deeply, Angela let out a slow, unsteady breath. "Well, you let her drive," she said, attempting to joke with Booth, even as her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know, Booth…I'm so worried about her. I know Brennan is not the type of person who likes everyone worrying about her…or even comforting her…"

Booth chuckled wryly at Angela's observations. "To know her is to worry about her," he concurred, as he mentally ticked off the shooting incident outside the restaurant, the incident in the warehouse with Kenton, the murder charges in New Orleans and the overenthusiastic men in Aurora as proof of his statement.

"You know, when Kirk died…even before we knew definitively that it was Kirk…I called Bren and she dropped everything, Booth. She dropped everything to fly out to the middle of nowhere to help me." Turning her sad eyes to Booth, Angela continued. "She came out there, comforted me…even when I didn't want her to. She held my hand, let me cry on her shoulder and told me that I would be okay. And now, when she needs someone, she won't talk to anyone…even me."

"I know Ange," Booth said soothingly as he placed a hand on her back. "I know it's hard to stand by and not do anything when you see how much pain she's in."

"The frustrating part is knowing that she's in pain but she refuses to show it—to share it with anyone." Angela ran her fingers through her hair, physically relaying the internal frustration she had been feeling all week. "The day that I drove Bren home, when all of this began, she was so quiet and withdrawn…Booth, it was scary." Angela shook her head at the memory of her friend sitting in the passenger seat of her car, just staring out the window, never acknowledging any of Angela's questions or comments.

"Then the day that Jack and I told her that her mother had died two years after disappearing, Bren simply walked away and started examining her mother's skull—her own mother's skull!—with no emotion whatsoever. I asked her if she was okay and she calmly announced that she may have found a cause of death." The tears were flowing freely from Angela's eyes at this point. She wiped at them with her hands, slightly smearing her mascara.

"A ticket to _The Fugitive_…her parents had a weird sense of irony, huh?" Angela's attempt at levity broke some of the tension that both she and Booth were feeling at the moment.

Glancing over at Brennan's friend, Booth smiled slightly. "Bones has…um, she has cried…a little. Just so you know, if that will help you stop worrying…a least for the rest of the night."

"She cried…in front of you?" Angela turned slightly to face him.

Feeling slightly uneasy under Angela's scrutiny, Booth extended his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "Yes, in front of me. And if you like me at all, you won't tell Bones that I told you."

With her head on his shoulder, Angela caught a whiff of Brennan's perfume mingled with Booth's cologne._ At least Bren is letting someone comfort her_, she thought as she gazed into the darkness that surrounded her and Booth at the moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pieces—Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or anything associated with BONES.**

**Author's notes: Thanks to all of you who are reading this story and special thanks for those who have taken the time to review.**

_Hate me today/_

_Hate me tomorrow/_

_Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you—Hate Me, Blue October_

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"So…" Russ studied his sister as she closed the front door. He saw a few aspects of the Temperance he knew fifteen years ago as she stood in front of him awkwardly waiting for him to finish his thought. Over the past few days, he realized that his little sister was now a beautiful, successful, powerful, independent and tough woman. Russ also learned through his limited interaction with Angela and Agent Booth that Temperance was also very much loved, whether she realized it or not.

"So…" Brennan echoed, walking slowing into the living room.

Russ grinned at her as he plopped his body down on the soft plush sofa. "I didn't mention this last time I was here, since we were busy arguing you know…but nice place, sis."

Returning his smile, Brennan mimicked his action and sat beside her brother. "Thanks. Most of the paintings and art work are from countries I've visited."

"Travel a lot, huh?"

"Not much lately. And when I do, it's usually with Booth on a case for the FBI."

Russ smiled slightly, deciding to keep his comment about Booth's obvious affections to himself. He knew that he would have to work his way back to big brother status as his sister had never been one to forgive easily.

Brennan stifled a yawn as she leaned her head back against the cushion.

"You tired?" Russ questioned.

"A little," Brennan admitted. "It's been a long week."

He nodded as he continued to survey her apartment. "Whaddya say we watch a little television and then we can get some rest?"

"I don't have a television."

Russ looked over at his sister as though she was from another planet. "What do you mean you don't have a television? My girlfriend's four-year-old daughter has a television!"

Brennan lifted her head and stared at her brother. "What does a four-year-old child need a television for?"

"Dora the Explorer mostly."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan stood and grabbed Russ' empty beer bottle from the top of her coffee table. "I've got plenty of books for you to read and there are several cds you can listen to…"

Russ groaned slightly. "Books?" He whined as he turned and watched her walk toward the kitchen. "Of course you've got books. You've have shelves upon shelves of books since you were three and learned to read."

Brennan smiled slightly at her brother. "Are you through whining for the evening?"

"You should have asked if I wanted a little cheese with that whine."

"Oh…" Mentally filing the comment to use on Booth the next time he started whining about a case, Brennan stepped into the hallway and returned a minute later with an extra pillow and blanket.

"Here," she said as tossed the pillow to Russ, "you seemed to think my couch was soft enough to use as a trampoline…make yourself comfortable. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the refrigerator. The bathroom is down this hallway, second door on the left. I'll put some extra towels and toiletries in there for you…"

"Tempe," he interrupted, ceasing her hostess commentary. He took the blanket from her arms, placed it on the back of the sofa and then turned back to her. "Thanks Tempe."

Tilting her head slightly, she stared at her brother. "It's just a blanket Russ."

Chuckling softly, Russ stepped toward her and gave her a hug. "No, silly. Thanks for driving down and talking to me….for letting me back into your life. I know that was hard for you. I know….Tempe, if I had been in your shoes, I would have hated me too."

Brennan returned the crushing hug in which her brother had encased her. "I don't hate you Russ."

"I know." He let go of her and stepped back. "I know you don't. And I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere ever again. You let me back into your life and you're stuck with me."

She found that she couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Russ had always had that effect on her. If she was upset or mad or hurt, Russ was the only person who could get through to her and make her feel better—until Seeley Booth came along that is. Now she would have to contend with two overprotective alpha males in her life and at that moment, Temperance Brennan would not have wanted it any other way.

"Russ, about Dad…"

"Tempe…we'll discuss that in the morning. But regardless of what you decide, I promise you that you're stuck with me." He gave her a reassuring nod as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Now I think we both need to get some sleep. Besides, if you don't get some rest, Booth might hurt me…he has a gun you know."

"Yeah I know. He likes to remind me of that fact quite frequently." She rolled her eyes, mentally replaying the numerous times that Booth had rejected her repeated attempts to file for a gun permit.

"Good night sis." Russ leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Good night." Brennan slowly padded off to her room, feeling exhausted but content that her brother was back in her life.

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Tossing and turning, Brennan found that sleep would not come to her. She had pulled on her most comfortable pajama pants and a tank top, relishing the idea of a few hours sleep in her comfortable bed. Now, an hour and a half later, most of her pillows were on the floor, the comforter was hanging haphazardly off the end of the bed and her legs were tangled in her 1000 thread count sheets.

Groaning slightly, Brennan kicked at the sheets until her legs were untangled and the sheets were hanging with the comforter at the end of the bed. She rolled onto her stomach and looked at her alarm clock, red lights indicating that it was three o'clock in the morning. She let her head drop to the mattress, praying that her overactive brain would read the time and allow her to rest.

The last time Brennan remembered sleeping was on her couch in her office for about five minutes a day or so ago. She knew that just lying on her bed and wishing for sleep was futile. Her body and mind were both exhausted but too exhausted to actually shut down at the moment. Brennan had experienced this particular problem before while working at dig sites in El Salvador and Guatemala, where time was of the essence and she had worked through sleep deprivation to finish a job.

Slowly she pushed her body off of the bed, stood and stretched. She paced back and forth in her room for a few minutes. Brennan decided to go to the lab and finish up her portion of the paperwork on her mother's case. Maybe she could rest once everything was settled with the case and she knew that her mother could finally be put to rest.

Grabbing a pair of jeans and an old tee shirt from her wardrobe, Brennan quickly got dressed and pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. Slipping on a pair of sneakers, she grabbed her car keys from her dresser and quietly opened her bedroom door. She stopped in the living room to ensure that she had not disturbed Russ, who appeared to be in a deep sleep. Brennan stepped over to her desk and jotted down a quick note to Russ to let him know that she would be back in a few hours.

She glanced over at her brother's sleeping form as she placed the note on the coffee table so that he would find it with ease. She quietly made her way to the door and out of the apartment.

Russ sighed as he heard the door close and the lock click. He had listened to her toss and turn in her bed and wondered if he should go talk to her. When he had heard her pacing he knew that Temperance would not get any sleep that evening.

Her actions reminded him of the few days after their parents had disappeared. She had refused to eat and she stayed up all hours of the day and night, waiting for them to return. Russ' heart had broken then and he felt the familiar ache return as he listened to Temperance leave the apartment. He found himself in the same position he had been in all those years ago without knowledge of how to help his sister.

He briefly contemplated calling Booth, whom he knew Temperance trusted completely, but he decided to wait. Russ reminded himself of his promise to be there for her and he was intent on keeping that promise. He would allow Temperance to have this time by herself to do what she needed to do but tomorrow, big brother would be in play whether she appreciated it or not.


	4. Chapter 4

**Pieces—Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own them and I'm relatively sure that I never will.**

**Author's note: I think I recall in one episode that Brennan's grandfather took her out of the foster care system, but I could be wrong. I have included that information in this chapter of the story so if I am wrong, I apologize for the error. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Enjoy.**

_I'm all alone now/_

_No love to shield me/_

_Trapped in a world that's a distorted reality—Reflections, Diana Ross_

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Brennan stepped into her office, noticing the pile of paperwork and folders strewn across her desk. She sighed; dismayed that she had allowed her work area, her sanctuary, to become so cluttered and messy. She moved quickly, shuffling the papers into a nice tidy pile, arranging them in order of importance. As she began filing the folders in the same manner, Brennan's hands stopped moving, hovering above one file in particular. _Ruth Keenan a.k.a Christine Brennan._

Feeling her knees buckle, Brennan quickly sat down behind her desk. Her team had apparently decided to use her mother's real name instead of the alias that Brennan was so familiar with. She slowly opened the file and studied the 3D image that Angela had created that aided in identifying her mother's remains. Brennan stroked the image of her mother's face with her left index finger, remembering how beautiful she always thought her mother was.

Christine Brennan was a natural beauty with a fair amount of grace and a great ease with people—qualities that Brennan had simultaneously admired and envied when she was younger. She smiled, recalling her mother's speech one evening on how Temperance would be a beautiful woman who would have men lined up waiting to date her and her father's response of how she would date any of those men over his dead body.

Brennan's eyes filled with tears as she realized that her mother would never know the type of woman she had become. At 15 years of age, Brennan had fervently waited for her mother and father to return. With each passing day, then weeks, months and years, her hope had quietly faded. Logically Brennan knew that for her parents to leave one day and never return, something had to have happened…something life altering or ending. She thought that she had accepted that logical conclusion many years ago, but then fifteen years of anguish, hurt and loss had crescendo when she walked by Angela's office and saw the one face that she never imagined she would see in the Jeffersonian.

Through unshed tears that refused to fall, Brennan read through the file on her mother's case. She studied Hodgins' findings on the particulates on her mother's remains and the movie ticket found with her. His conclusions proved without a doubt that Christine Brennan had been alive when her daughter had her 17th birthday in a foster home. Brennan felt a rise of anger in her chest as she thought of the foster care system that she had endured before her….

"Before my grandfather took me into his home…" Brennan muttered, realizing that she had completely overlooked that person in her life. She had lived with the crotchety old man for six months before she turned 18 and legally became an adult, setting off for her freshman year of college. A few weeks into the first semester, Brennan had received a phone call from her maternal "grandfather's" neighbor advising her that the man had died.

Her grandfather was yet another shattered illusion in the life of Temperance Brennan. She knew that she would have to speak to Booth about the man who was probably an old acquaintance of Max and Ruth—he could possibly provide another lead that could assist in locating Brennan's father.

Brennan's anger did not dwindle with the new thought of her father, who was very much alive. How could he just stay away from his children? She would be sure to ask him that very question when she and Booth found him. Not being a religious person, Brennan found that she did not have a great deal of faith in humanity, especially after witnessing the atrocities that mankind inflicted on each other. However, her faith in Seeley Booth and his ability and want to help others never wavered.

She pushed the thoughts of her father away for the moment as she continued to read through her team's findings and conclusions. Zach's narrative on the condition of her mother's remains and the mottling on the inside of her skull was very thorough indicating that Brennan's protégé's skills were more than adequate. She then perused her own findings, ensuring that all of the details of the damage to her mother's skull and the potential weapon used to injure her mother were in order before she signed her name to the report.

Removing her mother's dolphin belt buckle from the plastic bag attached to the folder, Brennan ran her fingers over the cool metal. She knew that she would take the small reminder of her mother after McVicar's trial was over and place it in the small box where she kept all of her family photographs.

Exhaustion overtook her again as she placed her head on her desk. Clutching the last physical piece of her mother that was still available to her, Brennan finally slept.

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Russ had managed to sleep for a few hours after his sister left. He awoke at nine o'clock that morning to find that Brennan was not home. Stepping out of the shower, Russ heard the front door open. He dressed quickly, grabbing a towel to rub over his wet head and made his way into the kitchen where he found Angela unloading a grocery bag full of breakfast items.

"Um, hello."

"Good morning Russ!" Angela smiled at him as she moved about the kitchen and pushed the start button on the coffee machine. "I hope you and Bren are hungry. If I know your sister, she probably has not eaten in the last day or so…"

"How did you get in? Not that I'm complaining about someone cooking breakfast for me." Russ continued to towel dry his hair as he watched Temperance's best friend buzz around the kitchen in a manner indicating her familiarity with his sister's apartment.

"Spare key," she replied breezily. "Okay, you've got your choice of cereals or pancakes with bacon or…"

"Jeez, Angela, it's a wonder my sister doesn't weigh a ton!" He chuckled as he sat down at the dining table.

"Speaking of your sister, I would have thought my entrance would have woken her up….you know one of her ex-boyfriends surprised her one day like that…and well, that's why she doesn't have a television."

"I'm not following."

"He came to retrieve the television and woke her from a dead sleep. She thought it was an intruder, startled him and well…. bye-bye television." Angela placed a bowl, a container of milk and several boxes of cereal on the table in front of Russ before she turned to walk down the hall to Brennan's bedroom.

"She's not here." Russ chose a box of Cheerios and poured some of the contents into the bowl.

Angela slowly walked back and stood in front of Russ, eyeing him suspiciously. "What do you mean she's not here? Where is she?"

"I don't know," he said around a mouthful of cereal. "She couldn't sleep and left the apartment around 3 a.m. I thought it was her when I heard you come in."

Angela sighed, exasperated with Brennan. "I bet she's at the lab. Dammit!"

Russ studied her carefully as he continued to eat. "She left a note saying that she would be back soon. Just give her time, Angela. That's what I decided to do last night. Just give her some time and space."

"She's had time and space all week!" Angela exclaimed as she slammed several cabinet doors shut. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just…"

"Worried?"

"Yeah, I'm worried." Angela turned around and grabbed a few coffee mugs from the cabinet next to the refrigerator. She poured a cup for herself and Russ and turned back toward him. She found him standing with a picture frame in his hand waiting for her.

Turning the frame around, Angela saw that it was a picture of her and Brennan, taken during a candid moment. "You see this?" Russ questioned softly.

Angela nodded.

"This is the only picture I have seen in this apartment. She doesn't have any pictures of me or Mom and Dad. You—you are the only person she displays a picture of. I think that says a lot about your status in her life. If Tempe is anything like she used to be…well, she was not big on sharing her feelings when we were kids. She'll come to you sooner or later. You and Agent Booth…you are the two people that she trusts."

Tears formed in Angela's eyes as she picked up the frame. "She trusts you too, Russ."

Russ shook his head. "No, not yet. I have to earn that trust back. But at least she has you and Booth right now. Now, let's get started on those pancakes 'cause I'm starved."

Brushing away a few tears, Angela laughed. "Just out of curiosity, did you and Bren watch any television when you were growing up?"

Russ laughed at the inquiry. "I practically lived in front of the television. Tempe, on the other hand, always had her nose in a book. Our dad fed her appetite for knowledge and books by giving her more and more things to read and quizzing her. I took matters into my own hands one day and dragged Tempe out of the house and forced her to go to the theater with me to watch John Wayne movies all day."

"Wait, Bren knows who John Wayne is?" Angela laughed at the thought of Brennan being forced to watch hours upon hours of western movies.

"Knows him! She loves 'The Duke'!" Russ beamed at the memory of introducing Tempe to one of the greatest cinematic heroes in history. He remembered her rapt attention to the dialogue and plot of the movies, every once in awhile interjecting her opinion that certain things "would never happen in real life".

"Tempe was always so quiet and introverted. She barely spoke to anyone outside of me, Mom or Dad. Most of her classmates were intimidated by her intelligence so she was a bit of an outcast, I guess. I always made sure that she was okay, though. I stopped by the school to make sure that no one was messing with her. Tempe would never fight back if someone started something, you know?"

Angela almost choked on the coffee she was drinking. "I'm sorry. Did you, uh, did you just say that your sister would never fight back?"

"Yeah," he answered as Angela began laughing.

"Oh my. You've got a lot to learn about Bren. First off, she's fights back." Angela smirked at Russ over the rim of her coffee mug. "She did slap you, didn't she?"

Russ ran his hand over the right side of his face, recalling the pain that Tempe had inflicted upon him. "Yes, she did. In fact, Agent Booth said I was lucky that all she did was slap me."

Angela laughed again. "And he was right. Believe me; your sister has two assault charges on file and she's beat up a gang leader. Not to mention the time she shot a suspect."

"She what!" Russ' mouth was agape when the doorbell rang. He slowly started toward the door but stopped momentarily. "We are not done with this conversation."

Russ opened the door to reveal a nice looking dark haired man standing expectantly with a small bouquet of flowers. The man stared at Russ then at the number on the door. "Um, is Temperance here?"

"Not at the moment. Can I help you?"

"Can you…Um, not to be impolite or anything but who the hell are you?"

"I'm Russ Brennan, Tempe's brother. Who the hell are you?"

"Bro…? Um, I'm David….Temperance's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? I didn't know that Tempe had a boyfriend. I just assumed that….well…that…" Russ faltered, unsure if his sister's so-called boyfriend was aware of Booth.

"Well I guess we're even, because I didn't know that Temperance had a brother." David made a small move to step inside the apartment. "May I come in?"

Russ moved aside, allowing the other man to enter. Angela looked up and smiled politely at David. "How are you doing this morning Angela?"

"Just peachy David. Yourself?" She continued her newfound task of mixing the pancake batter.

"Good, good. I came by to check on Temperance. She said something about having a tough case this week so…." He held up the flowers to show Angela.

"A tough case, huh?" Russ questioned the man's sensitivity. "Yeah, David, I would say that identifying our mother's remains would qualify as a 'tough case'."

"Your mother's remains?" David's confusion appeared genuine as he stared at Russ. "I'm sorry…Angela what the hell is going on here?" He turned to question the best friend who generally held all of the answers that Temperance did not freely give. "Where is Temperance?"

"I think she's probably at the lab but we're not sure." Angela walked over to David. "I'm sure that she was going to tell you about this…all of this…but this week has been extremely difficult for her. We're all giving her a little bit of time and space." She glanced over at Russ, who nodded his affirmation of her statement.

"I…uh….well…tell her that I stopped by, please." David turned and started walking toward the door.

At that moment, Temperance Brennan entered her apartment to find her brother, her best friend and her boyfriend staring at her.

"Morning," she mumbled, unsure why there were two more people in her apartment than when she had left earlier.

David stepped toward her, tentatively placing his hand on her arm. "Temperance, I think we need to talk. In private."

"Um, okay. Let's step outside." Brennan glanced over at Angela and Russ who were both watching the couple intently. "Pancakes?"

Angela nodded and smiled.

"I'll be back in just a few minutes." Brennan left to join David in the hallway.

Russ returned to his seat at the dining table and began munching on his cereal again. "I can't believe my sister is dating that putz."

Angela rolled her eyes at Russ' comment. She briefly wondered how much time Brennan's brother had spent with Booth for both men to share the same opinion of David.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5—Pieces**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with BONES.**

**Author's notes: Wow, hatred for David all the way around! I don't necessarily hate David but he does not belong with Brennan just as Booth does not belong with some blonde long-legged lawyer or any other blonde for that matter. I didn't kill David in this chapter….I didn't even hurt him physically but hopefully you will still enjoy the story. I had intended to post this and the last chapter tomorrow but I thought you all deserved to read about David's departure now because of all the nice, funny David-hating reviews. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

_Suddenly, I'm becoming part of your past/_

_I'm becoming the part that don't last/_

_I'm losing you and it's effortless—Over My Head, The Fray_

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David paced back and forth in the small hallway outside of Brennan's apartment. Successfully biting his tongue so as not to put Temperance on the offensive, he waited for her to begin the difficult conversation.

"David, what are you doing here at this time in the morning?" She watched the usually calm man pace erratically before her.

"Well, Temperance," he said, stopping in front of her and placing his hands on his hips, "I came by to check on my girlfriend who had informed me that she would be busy all week with a difficult case. I brought flowers for you and intended to take you out to breakfast but instead I find your brother—a brother you've never mentioned before I might add—answering your door. And said brother then informs me that your 'difficult case' involved your mother's remains! Let's see…does that cover everything?"

Brennan stared at him, momentarily unsure how to proceed with an explanation. "David, I'm sorry that I didn't inform you of all of the details but everything happened so fast. Booth and I…"

"Of course Booth knows about this. He probably knew about your brother before this too, didn't he?" David pinched the bridge of his nose between the index finger and thumb of his right hand to stave off the headache he felt coming. Just the name Seeley Booth had that effect on him and he'd found that he had had many headaches in the short time that he had known Temperance Brennan.

"Well yes, he did. He spoke to him a few months ago after I gave him the file on my parents' disappearance." Brennan attempted to shrug off the uneasiness of the inference of David's question about her partner.

"Your parents' disappearance? There's something else you never told me about." He shook his head in wonderment at how little he knew about the woman he had come to care for so much. "So, you've been with Booth all week?" he asked softly, already knowing the answer. Whenever Temperance needed someone, Seeley Booth made it his business to ensure that he was there.

"He came by several times to ensure that I ate….and to talk…." Brennan's answered trailed off as she watched David resume his pacing.

He stopped again in front of her but didn't face her, opting instead to study the carpeted floor of the hallway.

"Don't you realize, Temperance, that I would have come by to check on you, ensure your mental and physical well being, if you had only told me what was going on?"

She did realize that fact. But the other more important fact was that she trusted Booth to help her through the nightmare of untangling the lies that were woven into the little known information of her parents' disappearance. Brennan couldn't deny that if she had only wanted physical comfort to make her forget this waking nightmare for a short while, she would have called David. But she needed more than what David could offer her.

Her lack of response to his question answered everything David had feared for the past few months—she was never going to allow him into her life in the same manner she had obviously allowed Booth. Sure, he was good enough to read her manuscript and critique it, offering praise when she was uncertain of whether part of the plot was working. He was good enough to read about the relationship between her two main characters--characters that were obviously based on Temperance and Booth, regardless of how much she denied it--and offer advice as to whether the relationship was moving too fast or too slow.

David also knew the reason that she never allowed the special agent to read the manuscript—Seeley Booth's opinion meant more to Temperance than she would like to admit. It had not escaped his attention that she had mentally began reworking the title "Bone Free" after Booth had offered his brief opinion. _"Eww on the title Bones."_

He turned toward her, placing his hands on her arms and kissed her on the cheek. "Goodbye Temperance."

"David…"

"No, this is…it is what it is. I would still like to be friends. And you know, if you ever need anything….well, my offer stands. Take care of yourself."

Brennan nodded as she watched him walk away. She wondered if it was strange that she felt more relieved than upset that her relationship with a really nice caring guy had just ended.

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"Come on Parker." Booth took his young son's hand as he helped him out of the back of his SUV. "I promise we'll go to the park right after we check on my friend."

"But Daddy…the best swings'll be gone!" Parker used his sad brown eyes to plead with his father. Booth momentarily wondered if this was how Bones felt when he used that same technique on her.

"Son, swings are swings. One swing is not better than the other. Besides I thought we were going for the slide today?"

"I want to do the slide and the best swings!" Parker pulled on Booth's hand in an attempt to make his father walk faster. "Come on Daddy…hurry up so we can go!"

Booth laughed at his son's impatience and allowed himself to be pulled by a four-year-old up the stairs of Brennan's apartment building. His laughter ceased when he spied a distressed David exiting the building, walking toward him.

"David. Good to see you again." Not really, but he thought he would try to play nice since this was Bones' boyfriend.

"Booth, gee what a surprise," he responded sarcastically.

Slightly taken aback by David's response, Booth let go of Parker's hand, bent his head close to the young boy's and quietly instructed him to sit on the top step and wait for him. Booth straightened and turned back to the other man. "That was an awfully sarcastic greeting there. Something you wanna talk about?"

David shook his head and chuckled wryly. "What is there to talk about? I asked months ago in that interrogation room if there was something between you two and I got a resounding no from both of you. I was stupid enough to believe it…or maybe I was just so interested in Temperance that I **wanted** to believe it."

Booth stared at him for a moment. "What the…" he glanced over at Parker and whispered the rest of his question, "hell are you talking about?"

"I heard that Daddy!" Parker grinned at his father.

"Sorry Parker."

"You hafta put money in the jar now Daddy."

"When we get home, I promise. Let Daddy finish talking to his friend now."

David stuck his right hand out and waited for Booth to accept it. When the dark haired agent finally did, David pulled him forward slightly. "I know I don't have to make you promise to take care of her…that's pretty much a given, isn't it?"

Booth nodded and realized that this was David's swan song—he and Bones were over. He squeezed David's hand a little tighter to ensure that he had his full attention. "Did you just dump her at one of the worst times of her life? Because if I get upstairs and find out that you hurt her in any way, I will be paying you a very personal visit later."

"You see Booth, the difference between us is…I didn't know anything about her parents or that fact that she was working on her mother's case." He stared at the agent with sad eyes. "And I didn't hurt her. I think it was a very mutual understanding by both parties that our relationship was not working." David looked down his hand still grasped in Booth's. "You're cutting off my circulation Agent Booth."

Letting go of David's hand, Booth stepped back and studied the other man's face. "Nice knowing ya, David."

"You too, Booth." David turned and left without looking back.

"Come on Parker." Booth opened his arms as his son jumped off of the stairs so Booth could catch him. "Let's go see Bones."

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"That's your boyfriend, huh?" Russ smirked as Brennan reentered the apartment without David.

Choosing to ignore the comment, she walked over to Angela who was preparing to place a stack of pancakes on a plate. "Those smell good Ange." She tossed her friend a small smile.

"Blueberry pancakes can always cure what ails ya," Angela replied with a wink as she set the plate on the counter. Suddenly she turned toward Brennan, her expression serious and pulled her into a hug. "You okay sweetie?" she whispered as Brennan hugged her back.

"I will be." Brennan pulled out of the embrace and studied Angela's face. "I will be, I promise. In fact, before we have breakfast I think I'll have a quick shower. You two go ahead and start without me." She walked down the hall toward her bedroom.

Angela started laughing as Russ grabbed a few pancakes and doused them with syrup. "What? She doesn't have to tell me twice."

Booth's knocking on the door surprised Russ and Angela. "Come in, it's open," she instructed as she busied herself with preparing more pancakes.

Booth and Parker stepped into the apartment, both smiling at the heavenly smell of breakfast. "Looks like we got here just in time, huh, Sport?" Parker nodded enthusiastically as he hurried toward the kitchen.

"Booth, what a pleasant surprise first thing in the morning." Angela smiled down at the blonde moppet who was currently surveying the kitchen, specifically the plate of pancakes that she had just set on the counter. "You wouldn't happen to like pancakes would you Parker?"

Parker's big brown eyes grew wide as he nodded his head. "Even more than hotdogs! But not as much as pete-za…"

Angela placed a small plate in Parker's eager outstretched hands and guided him over to the table to sit with Russ.

"What do you say to Angela, Parker?"

"Thanks," he mumbled as he started shoving the food into his mouth.

Booth looked over at Angela. "Sorry, we're still working on our manners." Angela simply grinned and shrugged.

"His manners are a lot better than most of the guys I've dated."

"That's….wow…that's sad Angela," he replied cheekily. "So where's Bones? Still in bed?"

"No, in the shower. She just got back about 15 minutes ago," Angela responded as she offered him a plate.

"What do you mean 'she just got back'? Where did she go? Out with Dick…uh, David?" Booth inquired.

"No, that putz stopped by just before she got back," Russ supplied.

Parker glanced up at his father, syrup covering his face. "Daddy, what's a putz?"

Booth cringed slightly as he mulled over how to explain the term, hoping that he would not go home and repeat it to Rebecca. "Um, well, Sport, it's not a nice word and Russ there shouldn't have used it," Booth took a moment to glare at Brennan's brother, "but it basically means the same thing as calling someone a moron or stupid. You know, things you should never call people."

"Even if it's an accurate descriptor?" Russ stared at Booth innocently.

"That's almost like sayin' a bad word." Parker turned to Russ. "You're goin' hafta to put money in the jar too," he stated in his most serious tone.

After searching for some loose change in his pant pocket, Russ placed two quarters on the table in front of Parker. "Here you go little man. I learned my lesson today."

Booth laughed at his son's happy expression upon seeing the shiny quarters. He glanced over at Angela who was preparing more pancakes. "Okay, where did Bones go last night?" he asked, his demeanor suddenly serious.

Again Angela shrugged. "Not sure. Russ said that he heard her leave around three this morning. If I had to guess, I would say the lab…"

"And you would be right," Brennan replied as she entered the kitchen area. "Morning Booth. Hi Parker." She smiled at the miniature version of Booth sitting at the table with Russ, swinging his legs back and forth, and happily pushing two quarters around on the table.

Parker looked over at her and smiled shyly. "Hey."

"What were you doing at the lab?" Booth demanded. "I remember giving you specific orders to get some rest."

"I got a few hours sleep in my office this morning. I was finishing up some paperwork so that….so that we can proceed with burial arrangements." She took the plate of fresh pancakes Angela offered her, suddenly finding that her appetite had diminished. "Dr. Goodman will need to sign off on everything on Monday but the file appears to be in order."

"Oh," Booth replied, feeling slightly guilty for the tone he had taken with her. "That could've waited though Bones."

"Yes, it could have but I couldn't sleep last night after you left so…" her voice trailed off as she looked up and found the three adults in the room staring at her. "At least eat some breakfast if you all insist upon staring at me."

Booth and Angela each grabbed their respective plates and sat down at the table. Booth started shoveling the food into his mouth in much the same manner his son had. "Booth there could be another lead…" Brennan began

"Your grandfather?" Brennan nodded in response. "Yeah, I've got somebody checking up on that. Now eat your breakfast before my son crawls over the table and takes your pancakes away." He winked at her, attempting to make her smile.

After a few moments of silence Booth spoke again. "I ran into David outside. What was up with him this morning Bones?"

Glancing around the table, Brennan shrugged and poured syrup on her pancakes. "He came by to check on me, we talked….and then I guess we broke up."

Noticing her nonchalant tone, Booth found himself grinning as he continued to eat. "Hmm, really? That's too bad Bones."

Russ chuckled as Angela winked at Booth. "Yeah that's too bad. He seemed like a really nice guy," he agreed.

"But you said he was a putz," Parker stated innocently.

Angela couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard as she watched Brennan process Parker's words, Booth balk at his son's honesty and Russ turn ten shades of red.


	6. Chapter 6

**Pieces—Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: Must we go through this every time? I don't own them, never have and never will…unfortunately…**

**Author's notes: This is the last chapter for this story. I am in the process of outlining my next BONES fic so hopefully I will have time to write it soon. Thanks again for reading and again special thanks to those who have reviewed. Your comments and observations are always great! Enjoy.**

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Dark clouds had moved in at a furious pace and the threat of pouring rain was imminent. The wind had also picked up and Booth watched as Brennan's hair whipped around her face, her expression stoic. He barely focused his attention on the words that the priest before them was uttering.

Booth had found himself watching his partner closely since he had picked up her that morning. She had attempted to smile at him to indicate that she was okay but Booth saw through the façade, noticing that her eyes were full of sadness.

Now, seated in a folding chair next to her mother's final resting place, Brennan's eyes were clear, free of tears but still held a despair that Booth had become achingly familiar with. She sat rigidly next to him, ignoring the stinging coolness of the wind, her hands folded together in her lap. Russ sat morosely to her left, his arms crossed, trying to keep the wind from entering his jacket.

"Ashes to ashes…." the priest continued.

Booth remembered the last time that he and Brennan attended a funeral. He had shared a long kept secret that he didn't believe anyone could understand…or forgive him for. Hell, how could he expect anyone else to understand or forgive his actions, regardless of how many lives he had saved, when he couldn't do that himself?

But Bones had surprised him as usual. She let him talk; let him unload the burden that he had been carrying around for so long and she didn't judge him or begin some anthropological spiel explaining his actions. She had listened without prejudice and then she had comforted him with a simple gesture…a simple touch. He returned the favor at that moment, reaching into her lap and covering her hands with his.

Brennan didn't move. She allowed Booth to cover her hands, recalling Angela's words about a simple touch. Booth's simple touch provided the comfort that she greatly needed at that moment. She wasn't listening to the priest's words, which brought her no comfort at all. She stared straight ahead, allowing the wind to physically numb her, wishing it could numb the internal pain that she felt. Time apparently doesn't heal all wounds, she thought bitterly. This particular wound, created all those years ago, had scabbed over but never healed and then suddenly it had been punctured again.

The priest finished the service and walked over to Christine Brennan's children. "I am so sorry for your loss." Russ and Brennan both nodded at his hollow words.

With her mother's remains in the lab, Brennan knew that her death was final….a chapter closed. But as she watched her mother's casket slowly being lowered into the ground, Brennan realized the full finality of the situation. No hope. No happy ending. No peaceful resolution. No easy answers.

Booth removed his hand from hers, placed his hand at her right elbow and helped her stand. Readjusting his hand from her elbow to her back, Booth gently rubbed small circles on her back in a reassuring manner.

Angela, Hodgins, Zach and Dr. Goodman approached after the priest walked away. Angela hugged Brennan tightly; noting the close proximity that Booth kept as though he believed Brennan might suddenly falter and need him. She released Brennan and turned to Russ, hugging him also.

"Are you staying for a few more days?" she inquired, hoping that he wouldn't leave his sister quite yet.

"No, Tempe rented a car for me," he pointed to a small blue Honda parked near the grave site. "I'm leaving for North Carolina in just a few minutes." Noticing Angela's disapproving glare, he quickly explained. "I've got work…plus my girlfriend expects me back. But don't worry, I'll be back, around here annoying my sister and all of her friends."

Angela punched his arm lightly. "You better be." Turning back to Brennan, she smiled slightly. "Call me if you need to, okay?" She knew that Brennan would not call. Her best friend had still not discussed her feelings about the events of the last two weeks and Angela was concerned that a meltdown was inevitable.

"I'm fine Ange but I promise to call if I need to."

Dr. Goodman stepped forward and placed his hand on Brennan's shoulder. "Temperance, I want you to take some time off from the lab…"

Brennan opened her mouth to argue but was stopped by Goodman. "No arguments. You know how much I despise insubordination…"

"Yet you let Hodgins come to work everyday," Zach stated innocently.

Hodgins glared at the young protégé as Angela pulled him away to the car. Goodman chuckled slightly at the quip.

"That's an order Temperance," he continued softly. "Please take some time."

Realizing that arguing would be futile, Brennan agreed. "I'll take the rest of the week but that's it."

"Fair enough." He knew that a week was a compromise for her so he accepted it. He turned to Booth and extended his hand which the agent accepted. "Agent Booth, thank you for assisting in this matter and…" Goodman nodded his head toward Brennan slightly. Booth understood the gesture and nodded.

"That's what I'm here for." He released Goodman's hand and watched him escort Zach to the car.

"Come on Bones, let's get you to the car where it's warm." He took her by the hand and they walked with Russ to their respective vehicles.

"Well, I'm gonna hit the road," Russ announced.

Brennan turned toward her brother. "Try to make sure that all of the spare parts of the car make it to the rental place," she joked, referring to his previous criminal activity.

Behind her Booth smiled. Russ shook his head as he embraced her. "Yeah, well, don't you go shooting any more suspects that you and Booth catch." Two could play that game.

Brennan pushed out of his embrace slightly. "He was trying to set me on fire! Besides how did you…Angela!"

Russ laughed. "Yep, she told me a few interesting things about my grown up sister. Maybe I shouldn't have taken you to those John Wayne movies, huh?"

Brennan decided to drop the subject of what other interesting things Russ had been informed of about her since she was unsure of which events Angela had covered. She was convinced that her brother didn't need to know little things like the time she was charged with murder, or the time that she was kidnapped or the time that she was shot at.

Russ hugged her again, kissing her cheek. "I love you Tempe."

Wrapping her arms around him as tight as she could, Brennan whispered back, "I love you too."

He released her and glanced over at Booth, who was never too far from his sister. "You take care of her."

"I can take care of myself," she huffed causing both men to laugh.

Booth grinned at Russ. "You take care…and stay out of trouble."

Brennan watched as her brother turned and walked toward his car. She felt her heart constrict and panic overtook her. Booth sensed her distress and threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "You'll see him again Bones. He's not leaving you again."

She didn't respond. She just watched her brother slip behind the steering wheel and drive away, secretly hoping that Booth was right.

They made their way to Booth's SUV and climbed inside. Booth started the vehicle and immediately switched on the heat, noticing that Brennan was shivering. "It'll be warm in a sec."

Brennan looked over at him and then past him at her mother's grave site. The large grave stone that read "Christine Brennan, Beloved Wife and Mother" ripped at her heart again and she quickly turned away. It was over.

Booth looked over his shoulder in the direction that Brennan had turned away from and decided it was time to leave. He slowly pulled the SUV down the path until they reached the main road. Thirty minutes later he parked in front of Brennan's apartment building and reached to open his door.

"Don't." Brennan unbuckled her seatbelt and placed her hand on the door handle of the passenger door. "I just…need to be alone right now. Besides you've got work today."

"No I don't. I took the day off. Cullen understood." Concern set in Booth's eyes as he studied her. When he had arrived, she had been waiting outside for him. He had not been back to her apartment since he and Parker had had breakfast with her, Angela and Russ. He had left the siblings to themselves to catch up. He had also continued working on locating Max Keenan and collecting information on the man who had taken Bones out of foster care, both with negative results thus far.

Brennan simply stared back at her partner. "I just need to be alone Booth," she repeated. "That's all. It has nothing to do with you or your company…"

Relenting, he took his hand away from the door handle and allowed her to exit the SUV. He sat at the curb until she was safely inside the building. He didn't like the idea of her being alone and as he pulled away from the curb, he wondered how long he would acquiesce to her need.

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Brennan closed the door behind her, sighing heavily. She looked around the apartment, realizing how much she missed having her brother around. Glancing at the new flat screen television and DVD player sitting in her living room, Brennan laughed.

Each time she saw those items she would be reminded of Russ. She recalled his tirade on the absence of a television after Booth and Parker had left. Brennan decided to cave and agreed to go with Russ to buy a television. She had laughed at her brother as he became frustrated attempting to figure out how to operate the electronic implement. The man could fix a large piece of machinery at a carnival or disassemble a car but he couldn't read the simple directions that were in the box.

Brennan walked to her bedroom and changed into a pair of old comfortable blue jeans and a shirt with a Jeffersonian emblem on it. She made her way into the kitchen and decided to boil water for tea. She walked over to her desk and switched on her laptop to check her email.

She groaned as she read the email from her agent requesting that she contact him so they could discuss the promotion of her second book which could entail a tour. She shook her head resolutely at the screen. "Nope, no tours," she muttered. The kettle on the stove whistled indicating that it was ready.

After making her tea, Brennan sat back down at her desk and opened a blank document on her word processor. Typing the word "untitled", Brennan began drafting a rough outline of ideas for her next book. She sat at the desk for hours, completely engrossed in her work when she heard a knock at her door.

Blinking a few times, Brennan realized that her apartment was dark with the exception of the light from her kitchen and her laptop. Night had closed in on her without her knowledge.

She stood and walked to the door, peering through the peephole, although she already knew who was on the other side. As she opened the door, Booth offered her his most charming smile. "I brought food."

Quirking an eyebrow, Brennan saw the pizza box in one hand and a plastic bag hanging off the fingers of his other hand. "I noticed."

He breezed past her and moved into the kitchen, placing the box and the bag on the counter. "Yep, a good old supreme pizza with the works….whoa Bones, sweet television!"

Brennan shook her head as she watched Booth move around the counter and into the living room so as to fully appreciate the television's "sweetness".

"Angela told me that you had bought one while Russ was here but she didn't tell me that you went top of the line." Booth whistled as he picked up the remote control and started flipping through the channels.

"I don't know what th…..By all means, help yourself. It's not as if I was busy doing anything." She stood by her desk appraising the new situation. Alone time was through, she thought.

Booth glanced up and noticed that her laptop was switched on. "Oh, were you busy with something? Can I read it?" He moved toward the desk, knowing that Brennan would switch it off.

"No, you can't," she replied as she did exactly what Booth had predicted. He smiled to himself, knowing that he had disrupted her alone time.

He turned and continued to play with all of the functions on the television. Brennan walked over to the pizza box and lifted the lid, inhaling the savory scent. She then turned her attention to the plastic bag and removed a Styrofoam box and several DVD movies.

Booth turned to find her in the kitchen, studying the back of one of the movies. "I got you a salad too and I brought some movies."

"Yeah, I figured that out."

He moved toward the kitchen and noticed her small smile. "I thought we could have a John Wayne marathon…I hear his movies are really kickass on flat screen televisions like yours." He winked playfully at her. "What do you say 'little lady'?"

"Now how can I say no to 'The Duke'?" She turned to gather plates for their meal.

"Yeah, can't say no to 'The Duke'….or to me, right?"

Brennan shrugged slightly, playing along. "It could go either way with you."

"Ouch Bones." Booth pressed his hands over his chest. "Ouch." He didn't miss the smile that graced her face as she turned toward the refrigerator.

"Beer?" she inquired.

"Yep, beer."

They made their way to the couch and Booth started the first movie, _Stagecoach._ Each began devouring their slice of pizza as the opening credits started. Booth stole a glance at his partner and noticed her rapt attention to the movie.

Several slices of pizza and two beers later, Booth and Brennan were in the middle of the second movie that Booth had chosen. Both were relaxed, leaning back into the cushion of the couch, arms touching. He noticed that Brennan had been pretty quiet for most of the evening.

"Hey Bones," he said softly, "you're not mad that I interrupted your time alone, are you?"

Brennan turned her face toward him. "No, Booth, I'm not mad."

They stared at each other for a moment. "You know if you need to talk…" Booth began.

"I'm fine," came a soft reply that Booth didn't buy for a moment. He and Angela had discussed the fact that Brennan had not expressed her feelings over her mother's death or over finding out that her father was still alive. Booth knew that for the moment, Brennan would suppress as much of her emotions as she could. But he needed her to understand that when the floodgates opened—and they would open—he would be there.

"Okay….I'm just letting you know. I'm here." He reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it slightly.

"I know. I've never doubted that." She leaned her head down and placed it on his shoulder, squeezing his hand in kind.

Whatever the future held for her, she knew that Seeley Booth would be a part of it. It was just a simple known fact. It may not have been logical and she was unsure how she could be so utterly certain but she was.

They continued to watch her favorite cinematic hero on television but Brennan knew that 'The Duke' could never compare to the FBI hero that was sitting next to her, holding her hand, saving her from herself.

**Author's notes: The next story I have in mind is titled "A Pain That I'm Used To"—yes taken from the Depech Mode song that was featured in Two Bodies in the Lab. It will be a continuation of this story, picking up approximately four months after Brennan's mom's funeral. Thank you again for reading and reviewing. Now I'll go get started on the next story.**


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